Alternative History
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New Archangel
Новоархангельск
Timeline: Russian America

OTL equivalent: Sitka, Alaska
Flag of New Archangel
Flag of New Archangel
Location of New Archangel
Skyline of New Archangel
Country Flag of Alaska (Russian America) Alaska
Governorate Flag of Sitka (Russian America) Sitka
Language
  official
 
Russian (de facto)
  others Aleut, English, Tlingit
Religion
  main
 
Eastern Orthodox
  others Protestant, Shamanic
Ethnic groups
  main
 
Russians and Ukrainians
  others English, Norwegians, Tlingits
Founded 1804
Population 298,610  
Time zone IST (UTC-9)
  summer IDT (UTC-8)

New Archangel, also known as Novoarkhangelsk (Russian: Новоархангельск), is an independent city within Sitka which serves as the national capital of the Alaskan Democratic Federative Republic. The port was established in 1804 by Alexander Baranov, and would replace Pavlovskaia as the headquarters of the Russian-American Company in 1808 (thereby becoming the capital of Russian America).

History

Prior to the arrival of Russia, all of Baranof Island had been settled by the Tlingit people for over 10,000 years. The first attempt at Russian colonization took place in 1799 with the construction of Fort Saint Micheal. In 1802, Tlingit warriors "clad in animal-headed helmets and armour" destroyed the original establishment, killing four hundred Russians and enslaving the rest, with only a few managing to escape. Governor Alexander Baranov was forced to levy 10,000 rubles in ransom for the safe return of the surviving settlers.

Lead by Baranov, the Russians would return to the area with a militia of Russians and Aleuts (brought by the warship Neva). In what would become known as the Siege of New Archangel, the Russians would fight off the natives from the fort. Following his victory, Baranov ordered the reconstruction of a new settlement in the area. The new settlement was named New Archangel, named after the Baranov's hometown of Arkhangelsk (which prior to the 20th century had been commonly known in English as "Archangel").

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